Don't read this if it might upset you.
A few nights ago I had a horrible and very distressing experience. Whilst walking the dog I came upon a cat who had somehow impaled itself on a metal bar and was still alive and in great suffering and distress. After some 15 minutes of frantic banging on people's doors, I eventually managed to get a young man to come and help. The poor creature was beyond any help, so he got a spade and killed it as we both agreed it was the best thing to do for the cat's sake.
Was this right? Was it wrong? What would you have done?
I wasn't there so it's a little presumptuous of me to say I wouldn't have killed it. I'd like to think, however, that I would have removed it from the metal bar if at all possible. Subhadra says if it had been a person they would saw off the metal bar and take the whole thing to ER. Since that's not likely for a cat, I'm saying the next best thing would be to try to get it off the post. Either way it's likely to die but at least that way if there's a miracle in store for it, that chance does remain open.
One time, many years ago, I was passenger in a car and a devotee named Gopal Acharya was driving. We both saw a cat in the road that had been crushed by some vehicle. The back half of it was mashed flat and it was screeching and writhing in pain as it gave up its life. Gopal Acharya drove me right by it and told me to yell Hare Krishna as we went by. I did that and we both saw it slump into death as we looked back. If at all possible a dying being should either chant or hear the maha mantra at the point of death. That will increase its chances of liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
I did chant for the little cat I found. I chant for animals all the time..living ones I mean!!
if you do not have power to make anyone alive than you do not have right to kill anyone. life and death is not in our hand but to save is our first prioriry.
I agree with that in theory, Bharat, but unfortunately have found it doesn't always work for me in practice. Anyways.........I made three people alive, my children and subsequently my grandchildren!
I'm so glad that cat heard the holy name. When we chant we are even benefitting microscopic airborne organisms.
